ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) - The reward has been increased for information in the killing of a man whose body was found east of St. Cloud last month.
The Tri-County Crime Stoppers Board approved a request from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office to up the reward in the death of Jamie Wylie of Foley.
WJON-AM (https://bit.ly/1gSuJUI) reports the reward is now up to $5,000 to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and formal charges of a suspect.
Wylie was reported missing from Foley in December. His body was discovered in the snow on March 25 behind a car dealership. He died from a gunshot wound.
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Minneapolis bars and clubs that feature live music will have to offer free earplugs to patrons starting April 19.
The Minneapolis City Council approved the ordinance Friday.
The ordinance will apply to about 185 bars, clubs and performance venues as a condition of their liquor licenses.
The earplugs will be provided to the businesses at no cost thanks to a coalition of private funders, including the clothing company Locally Grown, Globally Known.
Company president Brian Felsen tells Minnesota Public Radio News (https://bit.ly/1sOa6m5) the goal is to make hearing protection as accessible as possible.
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ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (AP) - No charges will be filed in the death of a 12-year-old boy who drowned in a swimming pool at St. Louis Park Middle School.
The family of Abdullahi Charif says it was upset to learn of that decision Thursday.
The boy was found unresponsive at the bottom of the pool by the gym teacher as a swimming class was wrapping up on Feb 27. The teacher pulled the child out of the pool and began CPR. Charif later died.
Hennpein County Attorney Mike Freeman tells the Star Tribune (https://strib.mn/1ghOdTfhttps://strib.mn/1ghOdTf ) there was insufficient evidence to charge any crime. He declined further comment.
The case was investigated by the school district and the St. Louis Park Police Department.
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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Democrats fighting to protect Minnesota U.S. Sen. Al Franken’s seat want to replicate the last presidential campaign playbook by casting a well-funded GOP challenger as a corporate raider who put profit over people.
But there may be a hitch. Franken himself has a small stake in the parent company of the same brokerage firm, through a mutual fund comprised of stock in businesses with a “socially responsive” reputation.
At issue is Mike McFadden’s investment banking career at Lazard Middle Market, a Minneapolis brokerage firm he led that was involved in the purchase and sale of companies. It’s an offshoot of global merger-and-acquisition powerhouse Lazard Ltd.
An examination of Franken’s personal investments shows one of his mutual fund includes investments in Lazard, too.
The twist adds a potential complication to efforts to use McFadden’s business background against him. Top Democrats said it’s a leap to equate a casual investor to someone once in the corporate board room, and they don’t plan to abandon their strategy if he emerges from a crowded field with the Republican nomination to face the first-term Franken in November.
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